


No Place Like It

by TeamFreeWill12



Series: Post I'm No Angel Trauma [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Continuation of series, Crowley is in the dungeon, Gen, Kevin is alive, M/M, Sam is the vessel, canonish, human cas, near the canonverse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-01-14 21:28:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1279519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamFreeWill12/pseuds/TeamFreeWill12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Continuation of the Series from The Phone Call and it's parts and Going Home.</p>
<p>Dean and Cas get back to the bunker to try to figure out which angel is inside Sam and whether he is a friend or foe. </p>
<p>Cas decides to go to the King of Hell for help.</p>
<p>Kevin just wants normal prophet life back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The silence on the way back to the bunker was oppressive, to say the least. The drive was short, made long by that thick silence that was filled with racing thoughts and chaotic energies. The tension was palpable, to say the least.

Feeling more human after breakfast, Dean loaded up his car, checked out of his motel, and headed toward the bunker. He didn't say one word to Castiel, just gripped the wheel tightly and tried to calm his nerves.

Castiel was texting Kevin to let him know they were on their way, but not to let Sam know Cas was coming, too. He wanted the element of surprise, and his tattoo would somewhat help with that.

Kevin was waiting for them outside the bunker, looking even more stressed than usual.

“Dean, I'm glad you're back. Things have been weird around here. Sam's talking to himself, only it's not always Sam, but the angel, and they're having conversations with one another, and I'm a prophet, Dean, and _this? This_ is above my pay grade.”

The poor kid looked exhausted. His dark eyes were rimmed with red, dark, puffy circles, just like the crazy days on Garth's houseboat.

“Have you been sleeping at all, Kevin? Or eating?”

Kevin twitched. “Who can eat when the King of Hell, who may or may not have killed your mother, is in the basement? Who can sleep when there's an angel living inside your roommate? How've  _you_ been, Dean?” Kevin tossed at him sarcastically. “I'm sure life has been nothing but roses and jackpots for you since you left.”

Cas stepped forward before one of them said something they would regret. “We can talk about this later. Right now, I need to find out who that angel is. I need to get to Sam. But I want to surprise him. Dean, you go inside with Kevin. Make sure Sam sees you, but don't engage. Dean, go straight to your room and lock yourself in. Maybe get a sigil ready in the event my surprise isn't well-received.”

“Dude, are you sending me to my room?”

“I need you to distract your brother, but not engage until I find out who that is inside him. And then I may need to interrogate him, and it would probably be good if you weren't around for that. Then it'll be your turn.”

“For what?”

Cas paused, considering his answer. “I don't know.” He _didn't_ know. He just knew he was all of a sudden nervous and he didn't want Dean to be too far away when the confrontation took place.

He hangs back while Kevin takes Dean into the bunker, following a few minutes later. He hides in the shadows, on alert for trouble, but the coast is clear. He silently makes his way downstairs to the dungeon, that having been his plan anyway. He just needed to get Dean out of the way first.

It is silent as a tomb on the way down to the dungeon. Silent, but for the tune of _The Andy Griffith Show_ being whistled far off. He recognized it easily. It was one of many television shows he liked to watch. Something about the simplicity of the times, the morals, good, evil, youth and age...it was all so intricate and it kept him coming back for more.

The whistling stopped once Castiel started to open the doors.

Cas can't miss how Crowley's eyes light up as they land on him.

“Cas. How delightful to see you. If I would have known you were coming, I would have baked a cake.”

“I don't need any baked goods. I need your help, and you are going to give it to me.”

The demon slowly smirks and folds his hands together. “Oh, I _am,_ am I? And without even a hello or a bye your leave?”

Castiel inhaled quietly through his nose. “I don't have time for this, Crowley. There's a situation and I need your help.”

The disputed King of Hell started to look interested. “This _must_ be about Moose and Squirrel and whatever dispute that has our little Squirrel staying in a motel.”

Cas tilted his head. “How do you know about that?”

There's that smirk again. “Kevin gets chatty when he gets lonely.” 

He was letting Crowley distract him and waste his time. There was no time for subtlety.

“I need to know if there's a way to eject an angel from a vessel without harming the vessel.”

Crowley's expression didn't change. But then he smiled and leaned back. “Oh, this story has got to be interesting. I can't wait to hear it.”

Castiel didn't respond to that. “However, I know how very _quid pro quo_ you can be, so of course I am ready with an offer. It is no more than an offer, and officially it's possible I'm not allowed to make this offer, but I'll deal with the repercussions of that later.”

“What _are_ you going on about?”

“I will do what I can in securing your release. It is entirely possible that any one of those men upstairs will reject this offer, and they will be right to do so, but if you can pull this off...” Castiel sighed. “I need your help. Do we have a deal?”

“You stole my line,” Crowley smiled slyly, looking him up and down. “Well, angel, this _is_ interesting.”

Cas didn't bother to correct him. As far as Crowley is concerned, he still had his wings. He didn't need to know otherwise.

“I do love it when the tables get turned. And in this case, it might be nice—for the sake of full disclosure, of course—to know who is doing what exactly to cause these tables to be turning.”

Cas didn't want to tell the demon too much, too soon. He would prefer not to tell him anything at all, but he wasn't in a position to be choosy about the help he gets to save his friends. The reminders of how his major decisions always went haunted him. This wasn't a rash decision. He knew there was a major chance things could go wrong again. Sam wouldn't agree with his idea, but Dean would. Eventually.

 


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Cas is off doing "recon," Dean is escorted by Kevin to his room, doing exactly as he is told. Make sure he's seen by Sam, but do not engage.

Dean followed Kevin through the main area of the bunker, making sure to head towards the library on the way to his bedroom.

“Seriously, though, Dean. You look awful.”

“Yeah, thanks for that, Kevin,” Dean grumbled without heat. “I feel awful.”

“You look sick.” The prophet continued speaking, unaware of the emotional tempest of suffering whirling through the hunter. “You look bloated and super unhappy.”

Dean was about to respond with a sarcastic retort, but he didn't get a chance. When they walked into the library they found Sam/Unknown Angel sitting at one of the tables reading. He looked up when he heard Kevin talking.

“Hey, Kevin, who are you talking—? Dean.” Sam awkwardly stood up, keeping his fingertips on the table.

Dean acknowledged his brother with one word and looked away. “Sam.”

There was a really uncomfortable silence in which the prophet wished really hard that he didn't have to be there, but he stayed. Cas said to make sure Dean was seen, but not to engage. So he stayed to play referee.

“Are—are you ok?”

Dean clenched his jaw at the question. “Ran out of funds. I was asked to leave.” He lowered his gaze again and turned to continue on his way, Kevin at his heels.

“Dean.”

Wearily, he turned back around to face his brother, waiting for the verbal beatdown his brother was about to deliver.

“I'm glad—I'm glad you're ok.”

Dean's surprise didn't show up on his face. He was too drained to manifest any emotion. “Thanks,” he mumbled, before turning to shuffle out of the room. At this point he was too exhausted to fight Cas' order to lock himself in his room. He didn't want to fight with his brother, but he was glad to see his brother acting like himself.

Now they just needed to find out who it was that was roosting inside him.

He felt bad about letting Cas take point on this, but Dean was absolutely in no condition to come up with a plan and follow through with it. He could play the good little soldier and wait and be told what to do. Until Cas had time to do a little recon, he would wait.

“Dean, hey, wait up!” Kevin called from behind him.

“I'm not moving all that fast, Kevin, you can keep up,” Dean grumbled over his shoulder, his plodding steps continuing to the hallway that led to the bedrooms in “his” wing of the bunker.

“Hey, both Sam and Cas told me to keep an eye on you, and I don't know if you've met the guys, but they can be terrifying when they want to be,” Kevin replied, hurrying to catch up to Dean, letting his footfalls match the hunter's. “I just got a text from Cas. I need to make sure to secure you in your room and then meet him in one of the store rooms. I guess he's ready to take this to the next level.”

Kevin hurried Dean down the hall, practically shoving him into the bedroom. “Dean. Don't forget to lock the door behind me. Cas said to make sure you've got some sigils ready if for some reason Ezekiel comes looking for you.”

Dean drew in a breath. “Yeah, about that...”

Kevin was immediately on alert. “What?” he asked suspiciously.

Dean sighed, sitting on the corner of the bed. “Cas isn't convinced that the angel in residence isn't Ezekiel, that if it were Zeke, he wouldn't have had a problem with Cas sticking around here.”

Kevin exhaled through pursed lips. “Why can't anything be simple?” he asked in consternation.

“That was a rhetorical question, right?”

Kevin glared at Dean. “Well, if it's not Ezekiel, then who does Cas think it is?”

Dean shrugged, pulling himself up the bed to lean against the headboard. “No clue. Guess that's part of the plan, find out just who tricked me into tricking Sam into letting him in.”

Kevin ran a hand through his already messy hair. “I remember when all I had to do with translate tablets. I really miss those days.”

Dean chuckled mirthlessly. “Yeah. You and me both, kid.”

Kevin's phone buzzed. “It's Cas. He's getting impatient. I gotta go figure out which storeroom he's hiding in. Don't forget to lock the door behind me.” He turned to leave, but Dean stopped him.

“Hey, Kevin.”

“Hm?” The prophet turned back.

“I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess. I'm sorry I left you and my brother alone with some unknown angel. You didn't ask for any of this, you don't deserve any of this.”

Kevin shrugged one shoulder. “No, I didn't. And no one deserves any of this, Dean. I understand why you did what you did, Dean. I get it, I do. You wanted to save your brother, even though he didn't want to be saved. I don't exactly agree with the method, but I get it. He's your family. If I had a chance to save my mom—“ He broke off and looked away.

“I'm sorry about your mom, kid. She definitely didn't deserve any of this.”

A heavy sigh that told just how weary he was escaped the boy. He looked way older than his years. “No, she didn't. But it's not like you could tell her what to do. Linda Tran is a Tiger Mom. She was never good at being issued orders. Don't forget to lock the door,” Kevin reminded Dean one more time before heading out the door.

Once Kevin was gone, Dean dropped his elbows to his knees, rubbing at his eyes with his palms. Linda Tran, Kevin's youth, just two more things to add to the pile of _Things That Dean Winchester Fucked Up._

Before he could even think about getting emotional, Dean got up from the bed and did as he was told, he locked the door and started working on the sigils that may or may not keep The Angel Formerly Known As Zeke out of his room while Cas was getting his information.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas visits Crowley in the dungeon.

“So you're telling me there is some unwanted and unknown angel taking refuge in the largest Winchester...and he hasn't done anything yet?”

Cas had been wondering that himself. Crowley putting it into words made it even more worrisome. “What do you expect him to do?” He didn't want to know. “We're wasting time. What do you know?”

The demon gazed on him like he was some sort of abstract art that he wasn't quite getting. “There's something different about you, angel.”

Castiel wasn't going to let him in on his secret just yet, that he was no longer an angel. But apparently he didn't have to.

Crowley snapped his fingers. “Aha! That's what's different. It's not the haircut, not the Winchester-style duds. I can't see your true form. You aren't an angel anymore, angel.”

Cas didn't answer. He just stared at the demon without blinking.

“Fine. Do you remember when you came to pick up the Cutest Angel in the Garrison, the hot dog kid?”

“Samandriel?” He remembered that vividly. Of course he remembered Samandriel. He also remembered Naomi ordering him to kill the angel; it wasn't something he was likely to forget. “What about him?”

“We were tapping into his operating system, his original programming. We were able to get all sorts of information from him. Including his name,” he added slyly, a smirk settling on his face.

Castiel just stared. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“How did you do it? How do you tap into an angel's operating system?”

Crowley exhaled a sigh through the nose, exasperated, as though Cas should know this. “It's not exactly a science, you tosspot. I can't just draw you a diagram, that's not how it works. It's more...of an art, for the lack of a better word. It's a delicate process. One that could have incredibly...bad...repercussions.”

Crowley didn't need to tell him. He saw the shape Samandriel was in when Cas arrived to “rescue” him. If that was what happened when it went correctly... _No._ Sam could die. He couldn't do that. Not to Sam, not to Dean.

“If you agree to help,” he started, needing to swallow the bile that rose. “If you agree to help, what do you want in return?” There was no Plan B. Crowley was Plan A. He was the _only_ plan.

“Not a thing,” came the cheerful response.

Suspicion arose instantly. It was _always_ _quid pro quo_ with the King of Hell. He was a demon, former King of the Crossroads. He made deals. That's what he did. He never did anything out of the goodness of his black heart.

He didn't have a heart.

“Cut the crap, Crowley. What do you want. Your freedom? I told you I can't promise you that, all I can do is talk to them—“

“What makes you think I'm not exactly where I want to be, angel?” He coughs. “Excuse me, _former_ angel.”

He itched to knock the smirk from the demon's face, but Cas held himself back. Jaw clenched, he turned away and waited for the catch. There was _always_ a catch.

“If you're not comfortable with that, we can always say you owe me one.”

“I'm even less comfortable with that,” Cas gritted out.

“Have it your way. See how fondly Squirrel looks upon you once that mystery angel disintegrates that big Moose from the inside.”

He was right. Cas' shoulders slumped. He knew what he had to do. And there was no time to confer with anyone. He just had to do it.

“Ah. I see that did it.” Crowley rattles his chains. “You're going to need the key for these. And you'll need something strong enough to knock out a...well, a moose housing a celestial being. And tie him down. And I suggest you hurry up.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kevin and Dean freak out about letting Crowley go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the next-to-last chapter of this story. Hopefully the last will be up soon. But first I'll have to start it. It'll be fairly short-ish, and I know where it needs to go. That will complete this little saga that began with The Phone Call. Once the final chapter is up, I'm going to go back over this, and all my other works, and fix them up, make them prettier...and get to work on the AUs I've got happening.
> 
> Thanks for reading, y'all!

" _No fucking way_ , Cas. I'm not letting that monster loose. Not after what he did to my mother.

Letting Kevin in on the plan was not going well. Cas was going to do this with or without the prophet's help, but he would prefer the backup.

"Kevin, I understand, I him And Crowley is going to get what's coming to him

"No fucking way, Cas. I'm not letting that monster loose. Not after what he did to my mother.

Letting Kevin in on the plan was not going well. Cas was going to do this with or without the prophet's help, but he would prefer the backup.

"Kevin, I understand, I him And Crowley is going to get what's coming to him, I promise, but right now, unfortunately, we need his help.”

The prophet looked like he was about to argue, but then his shoulders slumped. “Fine. The keys are in box 186 in the room to the left of the dungeon.”

“Kevin. Wait.” The young man turned back around, his whole being screaming defeat. “I’m sorry to have to ask you, but I need you to go let Crowley out and take him to the storeroom.”

“Cas, no.”

“I have to talk to Dean. I have to make _him_ understand why I had to let Crowley free. Just take what you feel about what he did to your mother, and apply it to Dean. He’s lost so much at Crowley’s hands. He’s not going to take this well.”

The prophet considered this. “Yeah, I get it.” He rubbed his forehead tiredly. “It’s just that--we had him this time, Cas.”

Cas put a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “I know. And he’s going to pay. But we need him to save Sam.”

Kevin sighed heavily, the weight on his shoulders becoming heavier. “I know. Just...give me a few minutes to get some traps put down.”

Cas nodded, taking his hand away. “I’ll try to give you as much as I can.”

Backbone braced, Kevin headed upstairs.

“I hope you’re right, Cas. I hope this works.”

_Me, too,_ the former angel thought silently. _Me, too._

  
  
  


“ _Fuck_ no, Cas! What are you thinking? We can’t let that demonic dirtbag loose! Not after everything he’s done!”

To say that Dean wasn’t taking the news well was an understatement.

“Dean, you’ve got to keep your voice down,” Cas warned quietly. “We don’t want Sam to wander down here.”

Dean raked a hand through his hair and glared at Cas. “You can’t do this.”

“It’s already been done,” he replied, a touch of regret coloring his words. He regretted having to let the demon go, but not for the reason. “Kevin is taking him up to one of the storerooms to get things ready.”

The pacing stopped, but the glaring didn’t. “How did you even get him to agree to that? He hates that son of a bitch as much as I do. I’m surprised he didn’t fight you on this.”

Cas was done. He _knows_ how everyone feels about Crowley. He _knows_ Crowley needs to be brought to justice for everything he has done to hurt Cas’ family, but they don’t have the luxury of justice, not now. “Of course he fought me on this, Dean,” Cas snapped. “But we need him to help Sam, and Kevin understands that, Dean, _understands_ that we need Crowley to clean up your mess and is willing to let him go. Even though there may not be repercussions for Crowley in the future, even if my promises that Crowley _will pay_ for his trespasses don’t come to fruition, he _understands._ ”

He took a deep breath, trying to let go of the anger that was overflowing in him. He didn’t even need to look at the hunter’s face to know that Cas had cut him deeply. His shoulders were hunched, his posture meek.

It was Cas’ humanity that made him so angry, his humanity that made him feel guilt at causing the man even more pain.

“Dean,” he continued softly. “I’m sorry. I know you understand, and I know you love your brother. I also know that the guilt has been eating you up inside and you want to help him. I get that you’re scared, that you’re afraid that once Sam is free of this angel that he’s going to leave.”

The hitch of breath after that statement told Cas that he was right.

“Dean, I’m sorry to say that might be true.”

Tortured green eyes turned his way. “Thanks, Cas.”

He shook his head. “Dean, you have to let go of Sam. You’ve got to let him go and be his own person, be on his own, grow as himself, and not as just a Winchester, as your little brother, the lore expert. He needs to be his own person, to make his own choices.” His voice grew softer. “Free will, Dean. What you taught me. You’ve got to allow your brother his freedom to choose. To stay, to go. To go and to return.”

Dean’s voice, when it came, was filled with desolation and loss that hadn’t even occurred yet. “What, ‘If you love something let it go’?”

“‘If you love something so much let it go. If it comes back it was meant to be; if it doesn’t it never was.’” Cas’ lips turned up in a sad smile. “He may leave you, Dean. He may leave you for a long time. But he loves you and he’ll be back.”

It was a shaky, ragged breath that left Dean. His eyes showed his true age, and just how weary he was. “I don’t know if I can do this alone, man. I don’t know how to do it.”

Dean Winchester, Righteous Man. Couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

Cas turned his piercing look on the man. “Dean, you won’t be alone. Didn’t you hear me? ‘If it comes back it was meant to be.’”

He let the words hang in the air for a long quiet moment until they registered with the hunter. He had the confidence to know that his words wouldn’t be thrown in his face, not now. He knew this man too well. When he was hurt, he would lash out, but he just didn’t have it in him. Acceptance would be a long time coming, but he wouldn’t strike out, not now.

Once the words permeated the cloud surrounding him, Dean turned his eyes to Castiel, a bit of wonder, a bit of fear, a little bit of hope coming through. “Cas…?”

The former angel stepped forward, gently, fleetingly touching the man’s hand. “Now’s not the time, Dean. Someday soon. But not now.”

Dean blinked, jerking himself out of his funk. “Yeah. We’ve got work to do.”


End file.
